Dialkoxyxylylene-bisquaternary salts



Patented Aug. 22, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE mALKoXrXYLYLENE-BISQUATRARY sALTs Peter L. de Benneville, Philadelphia, Pa., 'and Richard W. Gormly, Collingswood, N. J., assignors to Rohm & Haas Company,- Philadelphia, Pa., a corporation of Delaware No Drawing. Application June 29, 1949, Serial No. 102,147

Claims.

1 Y This invention relates 'to 2,5-dialkoXy-l,4 Xylylene-bis(a1kylbenzyl dimethyl ammonium wherein R is an alkyl group of not over two carbon atoms, R' is an alkyl group o seven to nine carbon atoms, R is hydrogen or the methyl group, and X is a halogen vof atomic weight 35 to 80. These compounds may be prepared by reaction by addition of a bishalomethylehydroquinone dialkyl ether and an alkylbenzyldimethylamine. Alternatively, they may be prepared by reacting together an alkylbenzyl halide and a dialkyl ether of bis(dimethylaminomethyl)hydroquinone.

The bishalomethylhydroquinone dialkyl ether is prepared by dihalomethylating 1,!l-dirhethoxybenzene or lfl-diethoxybenzene by conventional halomethylating' procedures. For example, the dimethyl or diethyl ether of hydroquinone is reacted with 'formaldehyde and hydrogen chloride or bromide or is reacted with paraform'aldehyde and concentrated hydrochloric or hydrobrornic acid. The reaction is desirably carried out in the presence of an inert organic solvent, such as ethylene dichloride, carbon tetrachloride, oi' the like, at temperatures from 30 to 100 C. fora period of time between two and twenty-four hours until two haloiiiethyl groups have' been introduced.

The dihalomethylated hydrodu-inone dialk'yl ether is reacted with an Valk'yllc'e'nzyldii'netl'iylamine in which the alkyl group contains seven to nine carbon atoms. This reaction is desirably carried out in the presence of an inert organic solvent, such as benzene, toluene, Xylene, naphtha, ethylene dichlolide, acetonitri-le, nitrorne'thane, or the like, by heating upto r'eu-i; temperatures. The presence of solvent is not essential; however, when the reaction is suic'iently advanced, solvent may be stripped 0E by heating under reduced pressure to leave the Quaternary salt.

In the alternate procedure, the halorhethylated hydroquinone dia1ky1 einer is erst reacted with (Cl. 26m-2567.6)

2 dimethylamine. Excessamie `may be used-to take "the hydrogen halide of reaction or a Aforb this purpse. l

The reati'o'ii is 'desirably done in an iertsl'- Vent', slli as behriatolue, rhaphtha. lTlife 'ln salt orah alkali metal halide is separated ser.

v The bis(dilithylafnnornthyl) hydquihore dialkyl ther is then recovered and in turn rreacted with an alkylbenz'yl halide in which the alkyl up contains seven to nine Carbon atoms.

The valkylb'enyl fh'alides viedliired Vfor either 'thodare preparedin accordance with th' neral procedure described by deBenieville 'and I'Bock iii fapplic'atil 'Serial No. 28,274, le'd May 20, 1948. An alkylbenzene, or alkylteluda the tw` beinges'seitially equivalent for purposes of this inve'iitijthe alkyl 'grol'p whereof cotaiis severi tov nine' carbon atoms, is halomethylated -by reaction with anhydrous formaldehyde and hydrogen chloride or bromide in the presence of a 'catalyst mixture formed ly'rriiiiing one moleclar proportion f zine chloride with two to eight Iiolecular proportions of Yan aliphatic inonoc'arbox'ylic acid `of `one to three carbon atoms, such as formic, acetic, chloroacetic, or propioni. Acid anhydrides are equivalent to the acids and may be used in lieu thereof or admixed therewith. Formaldehyde may be used ,k as a gas or as a re've'r'tible polymer. The quivalent of formaldehyde and hydrogen bromide or chloride "is obtained by use of br'rnoinethyl ether r chloiiietliyl ther.

For one molar proportion of an alkylbiie there are used from oneto 2.5 molar prop'rti's of *f'naldehyde' and 0.75 to 2.5 molar proportS Of "Zinc "clilrldeV associated with the 151:6- po'rtion of mono'carbozi'ylic acid speci'd above. Reaction vtempefatules are lisilally btwee and (l. Under these conditions, halone't'hylatiii visY readily arr'ied to monohalmethyl'- atlOl'l Withoutfllatl O'f lOblSle re'llllS luy-products.

For lrlrirs'sV f the pre-Seht invention', alkylbiiz'eies or alkyltoluenes are taken are star mfg materials where' the' alkyl 'groups vary from h'eptyl to rionyl'. rIhe exact form of these' r's does rOt k'appeal' to be f particular importance. "hey may b'e lof straight or branched chain structure and may' loez primary, secondary, or tertiary. The relative position of the alkyl group relative to the ialornetliyl group' or to the methyl group Ythe alkyl l'llunesY is' not important.

Preparation of the above alkylated hydroc bons follows known methods. Benzene, for example, may be reacted with an acyl halide and the acyl group thus introduced is reduced to an alkyl group. By other procedures olenic hydrocarbons of seven to nine carbon atoms are reacted with benzene or toluene in the presence of an acidic catalyst. There are thus available heptylbenzene, heptyltoluene, octylbenzene, octyltoluene, nonylbenzene, and nonyltoluene in their various isomeric forms.

The preparation of intermediates and of the desired quarternary ammonium salts will be further described with the aid of illustrative examples. Parts shown are by weight.

Example 1 CommercialA 3heptanol was dehydrated on an alumina catalyst at 400 C. to yield a mixture of 2-heptene and 3heptene which was condensed and distilled.

There were mixed 125 parts of this product, 198 parts of benzene, and 19B parts of concentrated sulfuric acid, while the mixture was stirred and maintained at 5 C. 'I'he reaction mixture was stirred for three hours while the temperature was carried to to 40 C. Layers were permitted to form and the upper layer was taken. It was twice washed with sulfuric acid and distilled to yield 167 parts of heptylbenzene, probably a mixture of Z-heptylbenzene and S-heptylbenzene. The product had a carbon content of 87.3% and a hydrogen'content of 11.7% compared with theoretical contents of 88.6% and 11.7% respectively.

vThere were mixed 160 parts of this product, 90 parts of anhydrous zinc chloride, and 138 parts of glacial acetic acid. Thereto was added at 60 C. 106 parts of dichloromethyl ether. The

mixture was stirred for four hours and allowedl to stand to form layers, The layers were separated. The upper layer was washed with water, with sodium bicarbonate solution, and again with Water and was distilled. The fraction collected at 127-132 C./2 mm. amounting to 128 parts, corresponded in composition to heptylbenzyl chloride.

Emample 2 To a mixture of 184 parts of toluene and 103 parts of sulfuric acid there was added 112 parts of octene while the mixture was stirred and held at 513 C. The octene had been prepared by dehydration of capryl alcohol on an alumina catalyst (of. Komarewsky, Ulick, and Murray, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 67,557 (1945)). The reaction mixture was stirred for three hours at room temperature and the layers were separated. The product layer was twice washed with concentrated sulfuric acid and distilled. The fraction taken at 93-95 C./0.3 mm. corresponded in composition with sec.octylmethylbenzene.

To a mixture of 81 parts of this product, 47.5 parts of zinc chloride, and 65 parts of glacial acetic acid there was added 46 parts of dichloromethyl ether while the mixture was stirred and held at 50-60 C. for an hour. It was stirred at 70-75 C. for four hours and allowed to form layers. The upper layer was taken, washed with Water and sodium bicarbonate solution and distilled. The fraction coming ovel` at 130-150 C./0.3 mm. amounted to 43.8 parts and corresponded in composition to methyloctylbenzyl chloride.

' To a mixture of l38 parts by weight of toluene and parts of anhydrous hydrogen uoride. contained in a copper flask and held at 0-10 C. there was added 336 parts of mixed octenes, 'coiling at l23-134 C. The rate of addition was such that the temperature did not rise above 10 C. The reaction mixture` was stirred for an hour and then poured on ice. The organic layer was separated. washed with water, with 5% sodium bicarbonate solution, and again with water, dried over calcuim chloride, and finally distilled. Unreacted toluene and octene were removed and the organic liquid stripped by heating to C./35 mm. There was then obtained a fraction between D C./35 mm. and 155 C./O.5 mm.

which consisted essentially of octyltoluenes.

A mixture was made in a reaction vessel equipped with a stirrer of 32 parts of the above octyltoluene, 50 parts of anhydrous zinc chloride, and 110 parts of glacial acetic acid. With the temperature maintained at 50 to 60 C. there was added to this mixture 25 parts of dichloromethyl ether. The temperature of the mixture was then raised to 90 C. for three hours. The reaction mixture was then separated into layers. The product layer was washed with water, with a 5% sodium bicarbonate solution, and again with water. Upon distillation a fraction was obtained at 133-148 C./0.3 mm. which corresponded in composition to 2-1nethyl-5-octylbenzyl chloride.

Example 4 Commercial diisobutyl carbinol was dripped slowly over a bed of alumina at 400 C. The vapors were taken off and condensed. Therefrom nonene was separated and distilled at 72- 75 C./ 100 mm. The product, containing by analysis 85.7% of carbon and 14.3% of hydrogen, was 2,6-dimethyl-3-heptene, for which the theoretical content of carbon is 85.8% and of hydrogen is 14.3%.

There was added 135 parts of this product to stirred mixture of 159 parts of benzene and 147 parts of sulfuric acid. The temperature was allowed to rise to 100 C. After the mixture had been stirred for three hours, it was allowed to form layers. The upper layer was distilled and the distillate redistilled at 102-l06 C./3 mm. This distillate had a molecular weight of 203 (theory 204) and corresponded in composition to nonylbenzene. The yield was 95 parts.

To a mixture of 80 parts of this nonylbenzene, 40 parts of Zinc chloride, and 59 parts of glacial acetic acid there was added :at room temperature 45 parts of dichloromethyl ether. The mixture was stirred and heated at 70 C. for three hours. It was then allowed to stand and form layers. The upper layer was separated, washed with hot Water and with sodium bicarbonate solution, dried over sulfate, and distilled. The fraction distilling at 141-142 C./2 mm. was nonylbenzyl chloride.

Example 5 To a mixture of 46.5 parts of 2-octylbenzene, 17 parts of anhydrous zinc chloride, and 40 parts of glacial acetic acid there was added dropwise 50 parts of bis(bromomethyl)ether. The mixture was stirred and heated at 70 C. for four hours. Layers were allowed to form and were separated. The upper layer was washed with hot water, with 10% sodium bicarbonate solution, and with water. It was dried over sodium sulfate and distilled. At -174 C./2 mm, there was obtained a fraction which corresponded in menaces 'composition "to octylbenzyl bromide. The vprod- Auct' contained 28.8% -bromine by analysis; 'theory requires a bromine content `of 28.3%.

Example 6 Hydrogen chloride was passed for '3.5 hours into a mixture of 63.5 parts of 1.4-dimethoxybenzene, parts of paraformaldehyde,'60 parts of concentrated hydrochloricacidfand 100 rparts of carbon tetrachloride, while the mixturewas stirred and heated to reux-'temperatures The mixture was cooled and the productobtained as a lsolid by filtering the mixture through fritted glass. It Was .dried and recrystallized from a mixturle of benzene and ligroin to yield 48 parts of l,4-dimethoxy-2,5-bis (chloromethyl) benzene, the bischloromethylation product of hydroquinone dimethyl ether.

"Encamp le 7 Hydrogen .chloride was passed `forf1`2"hours -into a mixture of 50 parts of 1,4-diethoxybenzene, 19.8 parts of paraformaldehyde, 60 parts of concentrated hydrochloric acid, and 100 parts of carbon tetrachloride, while the ymixture was stirred and heated at reflux temperature. The mixture was allowed to stand over night. A light tan solidprecipitated lout and was ltered 01T. It was dried and recrystallized from a mixture of benzene and naphtha to yield 18.8 parts of 1,4- diethoxy-2,5 -bis (chloromethyl)'benzene.

The above procedures may be followed for brom-ethylatingthe hydroquinone ethers by substituting hydrogen bromide for hydrogen chloride. The same end products are obtainable by .use of chloroor bromo-methyl ether and introducing thus two halom'ethyl groups.

Example 8 Dimethylamine gas was passed into a solution of 100 parts of '1,4-dimethoxy-2,5dichloromethylbenzene in 300 parts of benzene in a reaction vessel in an ice bath. When the initial reaction had been completed, the reaction mixture was heated at reflux temperatures for an hour while dimethylamine was passed into the mixture. The reaction mixture was then cooled in an ice bath and allowed to stand for several hours. The dimethylamine hydrochloride which had separated was filtered off and the solvent evaporated to leave practically pure 1,4-dimethoxy 2,5 bis(dimethylaminomethyl)benzene.

The same procedure applied to 1,4-diethoxy- 2,5-dichloromethylbenzene yields 1,4-diethoxy- 2 5-bis dimethylaminomethyl) benzene.

Example 9 A mixture of 25.2 parts of 1,4-dimethoxy-2,5 bis dimethylaminomethyl)benzene, 56.6 parts of p-2-octylbenzyl bromide, and 150 parts of benzene was heated on a steam' bath for six hours. The solvent was distilled 01T and the residue heated for an hour under low pressure to strip 01T traces of benzene. There was obtained 80 parts of a solid which corresponded in composition with dimethoxyxylylene-bis(octylbenzyl dimethyl ammonium bromide).

Against Salmouella typhosa this compound has a phenol coefficient of 600 and against Staphylococcus aureus` a phenol coefficient of 1100.

The same bromide is obtained by heating together for two hours under reflux 32.4 parts of 1,4-dimethoxy 2,5 bis(bromomethy1)benzene and 50-parts-:of.nctylbenzyldimethylamine. in200 partsof benzene. Some .solid is obtained :-when the mixture is cooled and filtered andmcreiupon evaporation of solvent.

The products obtained have phenol coefficients of-610 against Salmonella typh'osa and 1100 `vagainst Staphylococcus aureus.

The reaction of 28 parts of 1g4-diethoxy-2j5- bis(dimethylaminomethyl)benzene and 56.6 parts of p-2-octylbenzyl bromide as *above leads to formation of 1,4diethoxy-2,5-xyly1ene bis- '(octylbenzyl dimethyl ammonium bromide), which has phenol coefficients of 630 against Salmouella typhosa and 930 against Staphylococcus aureus.

E (famille 10 To a'solution of 8 parts of sodium hydroxide in 30 parts tof rwater there was added 22.5parts .of an aqueous .40% dimethylamine solution. The reaction vessel in which this mixture was formed carried a refiuxing system cooled with kdryice `and acetone. To the mixture there wasadded 22.5 parts of heptylbenzyl chloride. The mixture was heated to give gentle reuxing 'and dimethylamine gas was slowly passed in during a period of three hours. The reaction mixture was allowed to form layers which were separated. The product layer 'was washed with water'until neutral to litmus and heated `under reduced pressure. There was obtained 20 .parts Iof alight yellow .oil which had the proper Vanalysis .frfor 'h'eptylbenzyldimethylamine.

Example 11 The procedure of Example '10 was "followed with `Vsubstitution of '25.3 parts yof nonylbenzyl chloride in place of the 22.5 parts o'f heptylbenzyl chloride. There was obtained 18`parts -of product which corresponded by nitrogen analysisto nonylbenzyldimethylamine.

The procedure was repeated vwith p-1,'3,5,5- tetramethylpentylbenzyl chloride and a similar product obtained, p- (1,3,5,5-tetramethylpentyl) benzyldimethylamine.

Example 12 The procedure of Example 10` was followed with use of 23.8 parts of p-Z-Octylbenzyl chloride as the alkylbenzyl halide. The product obtained Was (2-octylbenzyl) dimethylamine.

Example 13 A mixture of 23.5 parts of 1,4-dimethoxy2,5- bischloromethylbenzene and parts of nonylbenzyldimethylamine was heated for three hours at 100 C. The product contained 9.3% ionizable chlorine and was dimethoxyxylylene bis(nony1- benzyl dimethyl ammonium chloride).

This compound has a phenol `coeflicierlt of 720 against Salmonella typlzosa and of 1000 against Staphylococcus aureus.

Example 14 There were mixed 27 parts of 1,4-dimethoxy- 2,5-bis(ch1oromethyl)benzene, 62 parts of octylbenzyldimethylamine7 and 200 parts of benzene. The mixture was heated under reflux for two hours. The desired product separated as a solid which was ltered oilc and dried. There was thus obtained parts of dimethoxyxylylene bis(octyl benzyl dimethyl ammonium chloride). The product as obtained had an ionizable chlorine content of 10.0% (theory 10.2%).

7 The phenol coeiiicient for this .product is 885 against Salmonella' typhosa and 1000 against Staphylococcus aureus.

Eample 15 A mixture of 23.5 parts of 1,4-dimethoxy2,5 bis(chloromethyl)benzene, 46.6 parts of heptylbenzyldimethylamine, and 180 parts of benzene was heated under reux for two hours and cooled. The solid which precipitated was filtered off and dried. It corresponded in composition to dimethoxyxylylene bis(heptylbenzyl dimethyl ammonium chloride).

Example 16 There were mixed 23.5 parts of dimethoxy bis(chloromethyl)benzene, 52.4 parts of (methyloctylbenzyl) dimethylamine, and 200 parts of benzene. The mixture was heated under reflux for four hours and cooled. The solid which was present was iltered oilc and dried. It corresponded in composition to dimethoxyxylylene bis(methy1 octylbenzyl dimethyl ammonium chloride).

It gave a value for the phenol coefficient, as determined by the F. D. A. method, of 900 against Staphylococcus aureus and of 810 against Salmouella typhosa,

Example 17 marked fungicidal action. They inhibit germination of spores of Sclerotinia fructicola and Macrosporium sarciuaeforme Cav at 0.001% to 0.005%. They have marked capillary activity as demonstrated by the low surface tensions of aqueous solutions and the low interfacial tensions between their aqueous solutions and oil.

We claim:

1. As new chemical substances, compounds of wherein R is an alkyl group of not over two carbon atoms, R is an alkyl group of seven to nine carbon atoms, R is a member of the class consisting of hydrogen and the methyl group, and X is a halogen of atomic weight 35 to 80.

2. As new chemical substances, compounds of the formula CH3 CH3 O CH3 RCaHgCHz-lT-CH;

CH3 CH3 l CHz-N-CHzCsHAR' O CH3 Cl wherein R' is an alkyl group of seven to nine carbon atoms.

3. A compound of claim 2 where R is a heptyl group.

4. A compound of claim 2 where R is an octyl group.`

5. A compound of claim 2 where R' is a nonyl group.

PETER L. DE BENNEVILLE. RICHARD W. GORMLY.

No references cited. 

1. AS NEW CHEMICAL SUBSTANCES, COMPOUNDS OF THE FORMULA 